This specification relates to content distribution.
The Internet provides access to a wide variety of resources. For example, video and/or audio files, as well as web pages for particular subjects or particular news articles are accessible over the Internet. Access to these resources presents opportunities for advertisements to be provided with the resources. For example, a web page can include advertisement slots in which advertisements can be presented. These advertisements slots can be defined in the web page or defined for presentation with a web page, for example, in a pop-up window.
Advertisement slots can be allocated to advertisers through an auction. For example, advertisers can provide bids specifying amounts that the advertisers will respectively pay for presentation of their advertisements. In turn, an auction can be performed and the advertisement slots can be allocated to advertisers according to auction scores (e.g., bids received from the advertisers or scores that are computed as a function of the bids). When one advertisement slot is being allocated in the auction, the advertisement slot can be allocated to the advertiser that is the winning bidder (e.g., a bidder that is associated with a winning auction score). When multiple advertisement slots are allocated in a single auction, the advertisement slots can be respectively allocated to a set of winning bidders that are associated with winning auction scores (e.g., highest bids, highest auction scores, or highest values resulting from a function of, bids, auction scores, and/or other parameters). The bid that is associated with a winning auction score is referred to as a winning bid.
Each advertisement slot is generally allocated to a single bidder. For example, if three advertisement slots are available, three separate bidders are each allocated one of the advertisement slots. In some situations, an advertiser may be willing to allow another advertiser to present content in a portion of their advertisement (i.e., co-sponsoring the advertisement), for example, in exchange for the other advertiser paying a portion of the cost of the advertisement slot. However, it can be difficult and time consuming for some advertisers to enter into agreements with other advertisers.